Has our political system had a wake up call in the recent by-elections?  The pundits claim it has but we’ll wait and see.  Clacton was a minor surprise, but Heywood and Middleton came close to being an earthquake. A few more Conservative dissenters and a safe Labour seat would have changed hands. Spokespersons for both parties had their say after the event, but tended to downplay the issue of immigration, unlike activists who say it is constantly raised on the doorstep. Why can’t our politicians see that immigration is just an issue of numbers, more people seeking to come here than we can easily accommodate? In a geographical sense The UK is small, and no amount of building will keep up with the influx of people from Europe, let alone from around the world.  Our public services are being stretched to breaking point and the housing problem will simply accelerate if nothing is done.  Fear of being called racist has kept an artificial lid on the issue, but these by-elections should have lifted that lid.  What we don’t need is endless hand wringing and debate.  Debating it for the next twelve months will mean we need yet another Milton Keynes. It’s time for action. 

    A TB epidemic alert has been sounded in London, where some areas have a higher incidence of the disease than many third world countries.  The number of cases in the capital doubled from 1500 in 1987 to 3000 last year.  The percentage of cases in Brent is higher than China and twice that of Brazil.  The forecast level of cases throughout the UK for this year (7000+) hasn’t been matched since the Seventies.  How long before a disease that to all intents and purposes had been eradicated becomes endemic again? Significant numbers of immigrants are arriving with the condition and it’s one import we can do without.  Let's introduce screening.

    Graham Norton’s show was excellent last week.  Kevin Pietersen was one of the guests and watching Norton tap dance round the subject of KP’s book was a case study for budding psychologists.  Norton’s wry comment that “maybe team games weren’t ideal for Pietersen” was irony at its best.  We know Norton takes great care with pre-show alcohol but would have loved to hear his questions to Pietersen after he’d had a glass or three.  Great television. If Norton is ever down our way, we’d happily split a couple of bottles of Chateau Musar with him, and we don’t make offers like that lightly. Another thought sprang to mind when we talked about the show.  Maybe Pietersen should be searching the world for single wicket competitions!

    With single wickets still in mind, MP Brooks Newmark has announced he’s stepping down at the next election.  He plans to seek treatment for ‘his demons’, code for sending selfies of his tackle on line.  We would have suggested he use what has been called The Straight Bat defence of being hacked. If nothing else, it would cause hilarity in cricketing circles!   

    Seen some great pictures of Nigella Lawson and Conchita Wurst at an awards ceremony.  The similarity is amazing.  They could act as stand-ins for each other in most situations.

    Gordon Brown seems to have found his way back to Westminster and now he won’t shut up. For some reason he was awarded a lengthy session in yesterday’s debate on devolution and sadly he never wasted a second.  Having led the charge for extra powers for Scotland, Gordon now seems to have realized that England may not like a situation where Scottish MP’s can vote on purely English legislation.  The unfairness existed before any increase in powers, so some form of devolution for the English is long overdue.  Heaven forbid we go the whole hog like Scotland and produce even more politicians to live on the public purse.  In the meantime, will someone please send Gordon back to Scotland?  His speech reminded us of how much we’ve enjoyed his absence.

    Boris Johnson held forth in the Radio Times about his ability to drink a significant amount of booze at lunchtime.  Other people, let alone politicians who do that, normally swear blind that they don’t. We can only think of one other politician who gives a similar impression.  Is another defection to Nigel in the offing?